Another Cramer Health Care Lie

(BISMARCK, ND) – It wouldn’t be a day that ends in ‘y’ if Kevin Cramer wasn’t spreading another falsehood about his health care record. During a filled-with-friendly faces town hall, open to the public only if you managed to find out its not-announced time and location, Cramer claimed that he supports coverage for pre-existing conditions and that, through CHAND – the state’s high-risk pool – there’s always been coverage for pre-existing conditions in North Dakota.

But CHAND, like every other health care policy Cramer supports, doesn’t offer the same protections as the current health care law. Don’t take it from us… From the Washington Post fact checker:

“CHAND, which charges premiums 35 percent higher than similar policies in North Dakota, has a 180-day waiting period for people with preexisting conditions and a $1 million lifetime cap on expenses. (There is no cap in the ACA.)”

Reminder: 52 percent of North Dakota voters say health care is very important when deciding their vote for U.S. Senate.

More on Cramer’s empty health care promises:

  • Cramer voted 65 times to repeal or undermine the current health care law, including five votes to repeal the law without a replacement. These votes could have increased health care costs and stripped away coverage, not to mention imposing an ‘Age tax’ on older North Dakotans.
  • Cramer supports an ill-advised partisan lawsuit that would gut vital patient protections that North Dakotans with pre-existing conditions rely on.

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Cramer’s Disastrous Record on Native American Issues Can’t Be Covered Up By Election Year Spin

(BISMARCK, ND) – Kevin Cramer claims he’s been on the front lines of supporting Native American issues, but his record tells a different story.

Here are the facts:

  • Cramer vocally opposed the inclusion of a tribal provision in VAWA that allowed tribal councils to prosecute non-Indian defendants accused of violence against American Indian women, arguing that it was unconstitutional and claiming he would feel unsafe as a non-Native man going onto a reservation.
  • At a meeting with the Spirit Lake Tribal Council discussing the inclusion of the provision, Cramer’s remarks grew violent with him allegedly saying he would like to “[w]ring the tribal council’s neck and slam them against the wall” as he addressed a domestic violence survivor.
  • Now that it’s an election year, Cramer is trying to paper over his record but, as ThinkProgress points out, “his own record would also seem to contradict his support for this legislation.” 

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CROOKED CRAMER’S CHRONICLES – 25 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT CRAMER – POLLING CONFIRMS HEALTH CARE IMPORTANT IN SENATE RACE – HIDING FROM DEBATES

Welcome to Cramer’s Chronicles where, every Friday, we’ll break down the latest and greatest weekly hits about Cramer’s crooked, self-serving, extreme, and gaffe-prone behavior that puts himself and his partisan politics ahead of North Dakotans.

25 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT POLITICAL OPPORTUNIST CRAMER. 25 days until Election Day + 25 must-know facts about Kevin Cramer = one political opportunist who will always put himself and his self-serving interests above North Dakota. Get all 25 facts here.

NORTH DAKOTANS RALLY FOR ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE CARE. On Tuesday, North Dakotans gathered to call on Cramer to finally put North Dakotans first and stop jeopardizing their health care. Among them was Jennifer Restemayer whose daughter Allison suffers from a genetic disorder and relies on protections in the current health reform law to get the treatments she needs to stay alive. But Cramer’s 65 votes to repeal or undermine the current health reform law and his support for the ill-advised partisan lawsuit threaten those protections. Read more about Jennifer and Allison’s story here.

“NO INSURANCE COMPANY SHOULD BE ABLE TO PUT A CAP ON THE LIFE OF MY CHILD.” High Plains Reader reports on the “tale of two economies” that is plaguing North Dakota thanks to decisions made by Cramer regarding agriculture and health care. From Jim Dotzenrod, state senator and Agriculture Commissioner candidate: “‘This lawsuit that is going on now, North Dakota should have stayed away from, but North Dakota has joined in and if it is successful it will take away about $27 million from rural hospitals.’ A hit, Dotzenrod said, that rural hospitals won’t recover from.”

POLLING CONFIRMS HEALTH CARE IMPORTANT IN SENATE RACE. New polling from Protect Our Care demonstrates just how big a factor health care is in this race. 52 percent of voters “say health care is very important when deciding their vote for the U.S. Senate” and 61 percent of voters have a “major concern” with Cramer’s votes to repeal the current health care law.

CRAMER “ALMOST DERAILED” TRADE TALKS WHILE SOYBEANS HAVE NOWHERE TO GO. Important grain grading trade negotiations in USMCA were “almost derailed” thanks to Cramer’s actions and rhetoric on trade, according to Canadian officials involved in the talks. On top of that, Cramer’s reckless support of the trade war is leading to “refugee” soybeans. According to CNBC, soybeans from 2017 are still in storage after China pulled its contracts. “Of the 15.9 million bushels left from that year’s crop, 12.1 million bushels are sitting in grain elevators. That is an increase of 68 percent.”

HIDING FROM DEBATES. Mark another debate that Cramer has declined, bringing the total to seven. Cramer and his team are trying to weasel out of the Prairie Public debate that was postponed due to Senate votes. Clearly, he’s too scared to debate the issues.

TWEET CARTOON OF THE WEEK. From the Forum’s Steve Stark:

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Cramer Isn’t Running to Help North Dakota

(BISMARCK, ND) – It’s no secret that Kevin Cramer decided to run for Senate because an out-of-state billionaire promised to finance his campaign, but that hasn’t stopped him from complaining about having to convince North Dakotans he should be elected. Just this week, Cramer told CNN that he still doesn’t want to be running against Heidi. But if Cramer doesn’t want the job to help North Dakotans, why is he running?

“From refusing to stand up for farmers and businesses against the administration’s reckless trade war to jeopardizing access to affordable health care for thousands of North Dakotans to using his political office and campaigns to enrich himself, Cramer has proved time and again that he doesn’t deserve North Dakotans’ votes,” said Courtney Rice, Press Secretary for the North Dakota Democratic-NPL. “Cramer’s words make clear that he’s not running out of a sense of duty to North Dakotans, but rather out for his own political opportunism.”

This isn’t the first time Cramer has complained about the Senate – or stated that he liked the House better:

Cramer Claimed He May Want To Enjoy “The Slower Pace Of The Senate” When He Was Closer To Retirement. [KNOX, 1/11/18]  

Cramer On Senate Run: “If I Can Remain North Dakota’s Congressman […] And Have Another Republican Be The United States Senator For North Dakota, That’s My Preference.” [KTGO, 2/14/18]

Cramer Claimed He Wanted To Stay In “The People’s House” Because The Senate Was So Culturally Different. [KTGO, 4/25/18]

Cramer Called The House Of Representatives “Probably The Most Enjoyable And Stimulating Job In Politics.” [Cass County GOP Conventions, 2/22/18]

Cramer: “I Think I Am More A Man Of The House.” [KNOX, 1/11/18]

Cramer: “I Think There’s A Very Strong Case To Be Made That North Dakota Is Best Served By Me Staying In The House.” [WDAY, 1/17/18]

Cramer: “I’m Not Sure I Have The Patience To Be A Senator.” [KXJB, 5/10/17]

Cramer: “I Am Not Sure My Personality Would Do Well” In The Senate. [KNOX, 10/13/17]

Cramer: “I Am Conflicted About Whether I Even Want To Be A Senator.” [KTGO, 10/4/17]

Cramer On Senate Race: “I Can’t Do My Job As A House Member Effectively If [I’m] Running For The Senate.” [KNOX, 1/11/18]

Cramer On House And Senate: “You Can’t [Advocate For Certain Legislation] If You’re Running For The Senate. You Could Ask Rick Berg How Effective You Can Be You Know Running For The Senate.” [KTGO, 1/11/18]

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Pay-to-Play: Cramer’s “Conflicts of Interest” as Public Service Commissioner

(BISMARCK, ND) – Kevin Cramer’s history of pay-to-play is well-documented. While he was on the Public Service Commission, Cramer “willingly took thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from a coal mining company they were making decisions about.” This lead to a suit alleging that Cramer took “improper campaign contributions,” with the judge writing that Cramer’s actions were “ill-advised, devoid of common sense, and raises legitimate questions as to the appearance of impropriety.” As The Forum’s Jim Shaw writes, his actions “sure didn’t pass the smell test.”

Bottom line: Kevin Cramer always has, and always will, put himself first.

More on Cramer’s political opportunism:

Associated Press:

  • The Dickinson-based Dakota Resource Council and the Sierra Club filed a lawsuit last year aiming to stop the PSC from regulating the mining industry. The groups accused […] former [Public Service] commissioner Kevin Cramer — now the state’s sole member of the U.S. House of Representatives — of taking improper campaign contributions from coal mining officials.
  • [The judge who ruled on the case] said that while accepting such contributions maybe be legal, the decision to do so is “ill-advised, devoid of common sense, and raises legitimate questions as to the appearance of impropriety.”
  • The environmental groups allege $50,000 had been funneled to the commissioners from coal industry officials since 2006. According to the lawsuit, Cramer received more than $10,000 in donations from Houston businessman Corbin Robertson Jr. and his wife, Barbara, from 2008 through 2011.

Bismarck Tribune editorial:

  • “[W]hen it comes to campaign contributions and industry regulation, perception is reality.” Cramer’s decision to take these contributions “raises questions about… impartiality.”

Politico: “Paying family with campaign funds could dog Cramer in Senate bid.”

HEADLINE: KFYR: Rep. Kevin Cramer’s campaign fund use comes into question

McFeely: “It looks for all the world like Cramer is running because the pieces were in place to get a better job, even if he wasn’t convinced he wanted it in the first place. Opportunism.”

High Plains Reader: “Hamm and his net worth of $19.5 billion became the decision maker for Cramer accepting Hamm as his national finance chairman.”

WDAY: “[Cramer] didn’t want to risk losing his seat in the House… It was a call from oil tycoon Harold Hamm, whose net worth is $18 billion, that finally tipped the scales” to him running for U.S. Senate.

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Political Calculation 101: Cramer Admits He Signed Onto Butch Lewis Act for Political Reasons

(BISMARCK, ND) – Kevin Cramer has used his support for the Butch Lewis Act to bolster his bipartisan credentials, but North Dakotans know that’s just more election year spin. Cramer admitted that the only reason he signed onto the Butch Lewis Act was because he “came to the realization that I wasn’t going to get a lot of support unless I jumped on.” Talk about political calculations.

LISTEN.

Unlike Cramer, Heidi helped write the Butch Lewis Act to protect teamsters’ hard-earned pensions and secure a dignified retirement for thousands of North Dakotans. But Cramer doesn’t want Heidi to have any of the credit – he even lashed out at a North Dakota retiree who thanked Heidi for her work. Threatening his support for the bill, Cramer said that, by expressing gratitude toward Heidi, the pensioner was “jeopardizing the livelihoods of 1.5 million retirees.”

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North Dakotans Rally for Access to Affordable Care, Call Out Cramer for Jeopardizing Coverage

“No insurance company should be able to put a cap on the life of my child” 

(BISMARCK, ND) – North Dakotans are calling out Kevin Cramer and his Washington, D.C. bosses for jeopardizing their health care. Cramer’s votes to repeal or undermine the current health care law 65 times and his support of a reckless, partisan lawsuit threaten protections for people with pre-existing conditions, jeopardizes access to affordable care in rural communities, and could charge older North Dakotans five times more for their care than younger people.

Unfortunately for Cramer, new polling from Protect Our Care finds that 52 percent of voters “say health care is very important when deciding their vote for the U.S. Senate” and 61 percent of voters have a “major concern” with Cramer’s votes to repeal the current health care law.

High Plains Reader: ‘Tale of Two Economies’
By C.S. Hagen

  • [Jennifer Restemayer, a] West Fargo resident displayed a picture of her daughter, Allison, who suffers from a genetic disorder, and wouldn’t be alive today if the Affordable Care Act hadn’t been passed.
  • Allison, a high school senior now, needs approximately $300,000 worth of hospital care every year just to live, she said. Before the Affordable Care Act was passed her hospital insurance bills were close to reaching the limit. She’s worried now with North Dakota joining a Texas lawsuit to declare the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional that she will have to go back to the days of denied healthcare coverage.
  • “Democrats and Republicans need to come together for families like mine so they don’t hit a lifetime max,” Restemayer said. “No insurance company should be able to put a cap on the life of my child.”
  • In an attempt to help spread Restemayer’s and other’s concerns about protecting current healthcare laws, a nonpartisan group, Protect Our Care, made its 26th stop at Fargo’s Island Park Tuesday morning to meet with candidates for state office.
  • While more than half of North Dakota wants to keep the Affordable Care Act and fix what doesn’t work, elected officials currently in power but up for reelection have launched a full-scaled assault to tear it all down, without a validated backup plan.
  • After 967 registered voters in North Dakota were recently surveyed, the poll discovered that most people – 60 percent – voted for President Donald Trump, and 54 percent want to keep what works with the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare, while 36 percent would rather start over with new healthcare laws.
  • A total of 52 percent of those surveyed stated that healthcare issues are the deciding factor on who to vote for in the U.S. Senate election, according to Change Research, an organization attempting to make polling accessible and affordable.
  • Additionally, 47 percent strongly opposed U.S. Congressman Kevin Cramer’s support of the state joining the Texas federal lawsuit to declare the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional. Another 61 percent of people said it was a major concern that Cramer voted to repeatedly repeal the Affordable Care Act.
  • Senator Jim Dotzenrod is running for the state’s Agricultural Commissioner, and said the current situation is a “tale of two economies,” with farmers taking most of the punches. First, the agricultural community was preparing for a tough year, he said, then came the trade war with China, which is hurting trade deals painstakingly made over years of negotiations with China. And now as the federal lawsuit further threatens to eliminate protections for pre-existing conditions, of which 102,000 people in Fargo currently have and more than 60 percent of Cass County farmers share, Dotzenrod questioned how much worse can conditions get for the agricultural community.
  • “We are seeing some big issues affecting us with agriculture and healthcare,” Dotzenrod said. “This lawsuit that is going on now, North Dakota should have stayed away from, but North Dakota has joined in and if it is successful it will take away about $27 million from rural hospitals.” A hit, Dotzenrod said, that rural hospitals won’t recover from.
  • The Affordable Care Act and Medicaid Expansion has helped the state, especially in rural areas, but if the Texas lawsuit is successful, all help will disappear. “Unfortunately, all of that is now threatened by this unusual, ideological lawsuit by attorneys in Texas,” [Mac] Schneider said. “This might sound strange coming from an attorney, but you don’t have to sue about everything. This is the time to fight for healthcare.”

Read the full article here.

LISTEN: KFGO: Where Ag and Health Care Cross Paths with Jim Dotzenrod
LISTEN: KFGO: Protect Our Care Bus Tour promotes keeping protections for pre-existing conditions with former State Representative Ben Hanson

 

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While North Dakota Braces for Long-term Impacts of Tariffs, Cramer “Almost Derailed” Trade Talks

ND ag bankers are told to “brace for a ‘long’” and “unpredictable, unforeseen event with extreme consequences”

(BISMARCK, ND) – The Cramer-endorsed trade war is having disastrous consequences across North Dakota, not only for farmers but for bankers, agribusinesses, and the state’s overall economy. AgWeek reports that “the period of soybean price reductions due to the Chinese trade war […] will have a ‘long’ effect” on the state,” specifically citing “secondary effects” to agribusinesses.

Meanwhile, CNBC reports that North Dakota “soybeans from 2017 are still in storage after China pulled its contracts. Of the 15.9 million bushels left from that year’s crop, 12.1 million bushels are sitting in grain elevators. That is an increase of 68 percent.”

And what has Kevin Cramer done to mitigate these disastrous effects? He’s continued to pay lip service to North Dakota’s farmers, claiming he doesn’t support tariffs but still standing with the administration 100 percent when it comes to implementing them. What’s worse, now AgWeek reports that Cramer’s actions and rhetoric “almost derailed” trade negotiations with Canada. According to several officials in Canada, Cramer’s “public comments during the negotiations… almost derailed the inclusion of [a revision to the grain grading system] in the final agreement.”

See more:

AgWeek: ND ag bankers riding the ‘black swan’

  • The period of soybean price reductions due to the Chinese trade war, initiated by the Donald Trump administration, will have a “long” effect, says a North Dakota State University distinguished professor of agricultural economics.
  • Wilson said the U.S. “would have to capture virtually 100 percent of every other small market to offset what we lost from China, which is impossible. It can’t happen.”
  • In an analysis in April 2018, Wilson calculated that soybean prices should be about $13 per bushel in the absence of a trade war, and about $7 per bushel with a trade war. “We’re just under $7 per bushel right now,” he said.
  • Wilson, who researches and teaches grain marketing, showed a Thomson Reuters map that plots the physical coordinates of soybean shipments moving worldwide. Trade showed ships going all over the world in December 2016 but in July 2018, no ships were leaving the U.S.
  • That’s an effect on farmers, and then secondary effects will come to agribusinesses, He concluded: “I’m really scared of where we are,” Sinner said, adding, “We’ve got a big problem.”

CNBC: Farmers struggle to store crops as US tariffs start to take their toll

  • United States tariffs are beginning to take their toll on farmers and the storage, shipping and freight operations they need to move their crops to market.
  • In North Dakota, soybeans from 2017 are still in storage after China pulled its contracts. Of the 15.9 million bushels left from that year’s crop, 12.1 million bushels are sitting in grain elevators. That is an increase of 68 percent.
  • “There aren’t any shipping contracts to move them out of those facilities and get them to ports in the Pacific Northwest for export, either,” said Simon Wilson, executive director of the North Dakota Trade Office.
  • With this year’s crop now being harvested, the lack of available storage means some soybeans may have to be stored on the ground in bags, a challenge for this temperamental crop. According to the North Dakota Soybean Growers Association, farmers in the state contracted to sell an estimated 40 percent of the 2018 crop.

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Cramer Too Scared to Debate Heidi, Hiding From the Issues

(BISMARCK, ND) – Not only has Kevin Cramer previously declined six debates with Senator Heitkamp but now he’s attempting to weasel his way out of an already scheduled debate with Prairie Public and AARP, using the Supreme Court vote as an excuse to avoid discussing the issues that are important to North Dakotans like access to affordable health care and the ongoing trade war.

And when Cramer isn’t purposefully dodging debates, he’s busy twisting himself into a pretzel trying to paper over his anti-North Dakota record… all because it’s an election year.

Here’s a live look:

Background:

Missed Debates:
Bismarck Tribune: “The first debate in North Dakota’s U.S. Senate race is postponed due to pending Senate votes, but it’s unclear if the event will be rescheduled […] Prairie Public producer Matt Olien said he’s ‘not optimistic’ it will happen after discussion with Cramer’s campaign.”

NDxPlains: Cramer Dodges Farm Debate for Fundraiser in Texas
“Cramer’s snub of today’s debate is the latest in a growing list. According to people familiar with the debate requests, Cramer has declined one of the two debates with AARP and Prairie Public. He said “no” to a KFGO debate on statewide radio, and turned down a debate on Fox News. He has also rejected another farm-based debate with the Chamber of Commerce Ag Forum in conjunction with ND Soybean Council. It turns out, he has rejected more debates than he has accepted.”

Papering Over His Record:
Washington Post: Would the House GOP plan have prevented ‘price discrimination’ against people with preexisting conditions?
“Thus Cramer goes too far to claim that in the AHCA, there are ‘safeguards to make sure that there’s not price discrimination as a result of preexisting conditions.’ […] He earns Three Pinocchios.”

HEADLINE: Fargo Forum via Washington Post: Cramer ad claims he led crude oil ban repeal, but other lawmakers credit Heitkamp

HEADLINE: NBC: Thief! Heitkamp charges opponent with stealing credit for bill she championed

Zaleski, The Forum: Cramer “is one of the best fudge masters in Washington, D.C.”

PolitiFact: Cramer’s calls for tweaks to Social Security and Medicare, like raising the eligibility age and increasing means testing, “could be interpreted as calls for cuts,” a position Cramer “has held… for years.”

HEADLINE: PolitiFact: Kevin Cramer distorts record on government shutdown

HEADLINE: Washington Post: N.D. Republican’s Senate campaign ‘fact-checking’ website promotes false claim on CBO estimatesHEADLINE: PolitiFact: Kevin Cramer distorts Heidi Heitkamp’s record on banking regulations

PolitiFact on Cramer’s Health Care Agenda.
“Whatever Cramer’s wish is, his votes jeopardize coverage as it stands for pre-existing conditions in the individual market, according to Karen Pollitz, senior fellow at the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit health care organization […] In practice, plans for individuals in the nongroup market would become exorbitantly priced, if available at all.”

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Cramer’s Symbolic Health Care Votes

(BISMARCK, ND) – Here comes more election year spin from Kevin Cramer: While Cramer has consistently voted to undermine North Dakotans’ access to affordable health care, he’s now trying to paper over his record with toothless resolutions that don’t take any concrete action to safeguard protections for folks with pre-existing conditions.

The Washington Examiner reports that “endangered” House Republicans, including Cramer, offered a “sense of the House” resolution that “discusses the need to protect pre-existing condition protections, but [it] is not legislation.” That’s typical for Cramer though – he referred to his previous 65 votes to undermine North Dakotans’ health care ‘symbolic’ – and has continually paid lip service to North Dakotans about his dangerous health care record.

Earlier this week, the ND Dem-NPL released a digital ad, “Empty Promises,” to hold Kevin Cramer accountable for his empty promises to protect North Dakotans with pre-existing conditions.

WATCH “Empty Promises”

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Hankinson News-Monitor Reporter Slams Cramer for “Shameful” Comments

(BISMARCK, ND) – From a member of the Hankinson News-Monitor team on Congressman Cramer’s “profoundly backward-looking,” “shameful” comments towards women:

Hankinson News-Monitor: Cramer’s comments are shameful
By Karen Speidel
October 5, 2018

I am a woman. That means I lived my entire life being treated differently. Girls grow up knowing that life isn’t always fair. We do the same work as male peers, but are paid less. Wage discrepancies aren’t the only problems. If a woman challenges the “good old boys club,” she is considered a bitch while a man is patted on the back and room is made for him at the proverbial table.

I am raising a teenage daughter. From the moment of birth I have instilled the concept “don’t be a victim.” I want her to fight back, to ask questions, to challenge the status quo.

It shamed me to hear Rep. Kevin Cramer’s comments about the alleged sexual assault orchestrated by Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Three women so far have stepped forward. In the interest of full disclosure, these are only allegations.

If legitimate, Kavanaugh’s attacks are heinous enough. It doesn’t matter if he was a teenager when the alleged incidents occurred. Sexual assault is a crime. To hear Cramer dismiss the allegations because they “never went anywhere” or there “was no type of intercourse” is a tremendous step back in women’s equality and rights — from a man who wants to represent North Dakota in the U.S. Senate.

The concept that crimes can only be committed by adults is factually incorrect. Between 1 in 5 women are victims of sexual harassment. That is for all ages. Boys are just as guilty as men of trying to force themselves on a girl. Society no longer accepts the adage that “boys will be boys” when it comes to sexual assault.

Today’s girls are inundated with sexual slapstick as social media takes harassment to a new level. Girls are asked repeatedly by boys to send them a “naked selfie.” Harmless? Never. It portrays the continued objectification of women.

Attempting a sexual assault is still a crime, as can be attested by the #MeToo Movement that derailed powerful men from the entertainment industry and political spectrums.

Cramer’s caveman rhetoric is a profoundly backward-looking view of law and responsibility from someone who should know better. He went so far as to say Kavanaugh’s accuser was a drunk teenager when the alleged incident occurred, alleging she wasn’t a “good girl.” Intoxication is not a defense if someone is driving drunk. It most certainly cannot be used as a legitimate defense in this alleged incident either. For Cramer to suggest anything else is disturbing and shows his disregard for women.

I believe with my whole heart that Cramer’s comments are not representative of North Dakota values. My father never held such beliefs, nor do my husband, brothers, cousins, neighbors, friends, acquaintances … I could go on, but you get the picture.

There is no place in today’s culture for such a callous disregard for women. We deserve better. We expect better, especially from a person wanting to represent our state at the national level.

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CROOKED CRAMER’S CHRONICLES – NEW DIGITAL AD: “EMPTY PROMISES” – CRAMER PLAYING “DEFENSE” ON HEALTH CARE – NEW POLLING

NEW DIGITAL AD: “EMPTY PROMISES.” As first reported by the National Journal, the Dem-NPL released a new digital ad this week, “Empty Promises,” to hold Kevin Cramer accountable for failing to protect North Dakotans’ access to affordable health care, including folks with pre-existing conditions. The ad will run statewide through Election Day as part of a dedicated five-figure digital buy on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Our take: “Kevin Cramer can spout off election-year spin all he wants, but he can’t hide from his record of repeatedly voting to undermine the current health care law and jeopardizing coverage for folks with pre-existing conditions. From voting to gut vital patient protections to accusing folks with pre-existing conditions of abusing the system, Cramer has made one thing clear: he doesn’t care about North Dakotans’ health care.”

CRAMER PLAYING “DEFENSE” ON HEALTH CARE. Cramer is running from his health care record, “play[ing] defense” with voters and trying to hide their record of jeopardizing coverage for folks with pre-existing conditions. His latest attempts? Trying to paper over his record with toothless resolutions that don’t take any concrete action to safeguard protections for folks with pre-existing conditions.

NEW POLL SHOWS HEITKAMP’S STRENGTH IN TIGHT ND SENATE RACE. This week the Dem-NPL released initial regional polling from the eastern cities (Fargo, West Fargo, Grand Forks) and the rural east, which account for 45 percent of the state’s total electorate. The data show Heitkamp with an average 14-point lead over Cramer, with Heitkamp outperforming her 2012 margin in the eastern cities. Heitkamp’s lead in these must-win regions demonstrate the race’s virtual dead heat statewide. Read the polling memo and toplines here.

HEALTH CARE IMPORTANT TO VOTERS. In the same poll, respondents chose Heitkamp by a 34-point margin when asked who will do a better job to ensure health insurance companies are required to cover pre-existing conditions and, by a 20-point margin, respondents believe Heitkamp will do a better job making sure health insurance is more affordable.

MCFEELY: POLLSTER WHO CORRECTLY CALLED HEITKAMP’S 2012 RACE PUSHES BACK (SORT OF) ON LATEST N.D. SURVEY 

  • There is history with a Republican U.S. Senate candidate in North Dakota being given a 10-point polling margin over Heidi Heitkamp. It involves my newspaper, The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead, and became the state’s own “Dewey Defeats Truman” moment.
  • The Forum released a poll in late October 2012 […] that showed Fargo businessman Rick Berg leading Heitkamp by 10 points, 50 percent to 40 percent with 10 percent undecided. […]. Turns out the margin was not 10 percent, nor was it in favor of Berg. Heitkamp won the race by less than a percentage point, 50.2 to 49.3, in one of the great upsets of that political cycle.
  • But it’s telling that a respected Twin Cities pollster almost immediately took to Twitter after the NBC North Dakota poll was released and […] offered some numbers of his own that would bring the latest poll into question. DFM Research, owned by Dean Mitchell, published its own survey numbers of select areas of North Dakota that show Heitkamp outperforming her results in 2012. Why is this important? Because in 2012, DFM and Mitchell was the only polling firm to predict the outcome of the 2012 race. He consistently polled North Dakota that year and predicted a narrow victory for Heitkamp based on regional polling he did shortly before Election Day.
  • North Dakota is notoriously difficult to poll on a statewide basis and many experienced polling firms, including DFM, break the state down into specific geographic regions to get a better feel for what is happening. That was the basis of DFM’s tweets following the release of the NBC North Dakota poll.
  • [H]is research of the state shows the race is much more likely to be a tossup (which is much more near what all other public polling has shown).

BREAKING: US TRADE DEFICIT WIDENS TO $53 BILLION AS SOYBEAN EXPORTS PLUMMET AMID CHINA TRADE BATTLE. CNBC reports that soybean exports fell $1 billion for the month of August as a result of tariffs and the administration’s trade war. Yet Cramer continues to kowtow to the administration’s reckless trade war, putting his political self-interest ahead of the North Dakotans he’s supposed to represent.

#FBF: “CRAMER’S CAMPAIGN FUND USE COMES INTO QUESTION.” From KFYR on Cramer’s “morally kind of sticky” practice of paying his family with campaign funds:

  • Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., is facing reports that he is using campaign funds to pay himself and his family.
  • A report published last week in Politico and Federal Elections Commission Filings shows Cramer paid family members more than $140,000 and reimbursed himself nearly $200,000 since 2013.
  • Money in politics is a hot button issue, now Congressman Kevin Cramer might be feeling the heat.
  • “It’s the type of behavior that people have flagged in the past as just sort of part of the swamp so to speak. It’s a way that members of congress can sort of enrich themselves and their families just by virtue of their position,” said Kevin Robillard, Politico.
  • The Politico article and FEC filings also show Cramer has reimbursed himself nearly $200,000 for campaign expenses. Cramer says he errs on the side of caution to avoid spending tax payer dollars on politics.

BONUS THOUGHT: We’re always proud of our Senator, but we’re especially proud this week.

TWEET OF THE WEEK.

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